Ranger Gone Missing
by Ghostwriter
Summary: Andros isn't the only one looking for a relative.
1. Prologue: Family Tradition & Loss

RANGER GONE MISSING

AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER

Just an idea I had of one of the Space Rangers being related to a MMPR. First part takes place during "Passing The Torch", second part takes place after "From Out Of Nowhere" Belongs to Haim Saban and Fox Kids. I only own the plot.

PROLOGUE

As the Yellow Ranger quickly darted out of sight, a young man raised an eyebrow. Then, he walked away. A couple of hours later, he met up with a girl wearing yellow.

"So, Ashley, huh?" he questioned.

"Are you okay with that?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, she'd make a great Ranger," he told her. later that day, as Ashley Hammond, TJ Johnson, Cassie Chan, and Carlos Vallarte were welcomed into the Power Ranger family by Zordon, Alpha 5 and 6 as well Dimitria and Zordon, Tommy, Katherine, Adam, and Tanya, and the man who had spoken to Tanya stood watching.

"It's pretty morphinominal huh, Bro?" the man asked.

"Yeah, it really is," Tommy agreed. After everything was over, Ashley walked up to the man standing beside Tommy.

"So cousin, how does it feel to be a Power Ranger?" he asked.

"Unbelievable. I can't believe they would pick me," she breathed.

"I can. You have all the qualities. And if you want, I can give you some martial arts pointers," he offered.

"That'd be great," she grinned. They hugged.

"Welcome aboard," he told her.

* * *

Ashley snuck into the house.

"Hey, are you in here?" she asked. Her eyes widened when she saw the state of the house.

"Oh, no," she breathed.

"Ashley, what's wrong?" she heard Andros ask over her communicator. Ignoring him, she ran through the house, stumbling over furniture. However, it soon became clear that the person she was looking for wasn't there. Suddenly, something caught her eye. She gasped and knelt down.

"Oh, no," she said, picking up what appeared to be a watch.

"Ashley, what's wrong? Please tell me," Andros requested.

"Jason," she whispered.


	2. Chapter One: Worried Yellow

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only won the plot and characters you don't recognize. Now takes place after "The Enemy Within".

On the Astro Megaship's deck, Ashley's fingers moved swiftly over the controls of the computer.

"Come on, Jason. Who took you and where are you?" she asked softly.

"Ashley? Is something wrong?" TJ questioned. Ashley jumped and looked at him.

"No, TJ. Nothing's wrong," she told him.

"Who are you looking for?" he wondered.

"No one," she responded.

"Baloney. You've been looking for someone yourself as long as Andros has. And I know it's not Zordon. So, who's missing?" he pressed. The girl sighed.

"I'm looking for my cousin. He disappeared shortly after the Power Chamber was destroyed," she told him.

"Maybe he decided to take a vacation of some sort."

"No. The house was a total wreck. There was obviously a fight. Somebody or something took him."

"How can you be so sure?" Ashley reached into the pocket of her uniform and pulled out a golden watch.

"Because **this** was all that I found. And Jason would **never** leave his communicator behind."

"Communicator? This guy's one of us?"

"He used to be." TJ put a hand on Ashley's shoulder.

"We'll find him, Ash. I promise." Meanwhile, on a hot and dusty planet, two fighters were going hand-to-hand in an arena. One was a large black monster that had yellow lines crisscrossing up and down his body. The other was a human who was somewhere in his twenties. The monster grabbed the human's hands and held them so that he couldn't throw a punch. He let out a karate yell and felled his opponent with a sweep of his leg.

"Don't count me out yet, you freak!" he shouted. The monster growled, conjured up a sword, and jumped back up. The creature in charge of the fight allowed a terrible grin cover its features. The human was a formidable fighter. One of the creature's generals walked up to him.

"Lord Magnus, why do you let the human live?" he wondered.

"Because he amuses me," Lord Magnus responded. "When he fails to do so, then I will destroy him." The man blocked the creature's incoming attack and took its weapon. Then, he jabbed the sword through the creature's heart. With an agonized cry, the monster fell to the ground and disintegrated.

"Fight's over. Take the prisoner back to his cage," Lord Magnus instructed. Immediately, two of Magnus' generals teleported on either side of the human and grabbed his arms. Then, they disappeared from the arena and reappeared in front of a large cave, which they threw the human in. He grunted, and then tried to rush out, only to be stopped by the appearance of large yellow energy beams. The creatures laughed.

"You forget: there is no escape…**Jason**." As they left, Jason Lee Scott grunted angrily and slapped the wall.

"Man, I wish I had my communicator!"


	3. Chapter Two: Trapped & Concerned

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot.

As night fell, Jason ran his fingers through his hair. _Man, how can I get outta here?_ he wondered. He sighed and sank to the ground.

"Come on, Rangers. You gotta find me," he moaned. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take these stupid fights. He moved an arm and then groaned in pain. _Man, that thing gave me a beating_, he thought to himself. Suddenly, he heard thundering footsteps. His breathing quickened and he tried to shrink into the wall. The bars disappeared and Jason gulped. Lord Magnus stepped into cave.

"Well done today, human," he sneered.

"Back off, Fang Face," he spat out. Magnus grabbed him and hauled him to his feet.

"You'd do well to remember your place," he cautioned.

"I'm not afraid of you," came the response. Magnus threw Jason across the cave and he groaned as he hit his injured shoulder.

"I gave you these generous accommodations because of your fighting prowess. **Don**'**t** make me regret it," he told him, stepping closer. Jason tried to get up, but was kicked in the side.

"You're not gonna get away with this," he told him.

"What? Are you still expecting **the Power** to protect you?" Magnus jeered. "Every day Zordon grows weaker as Dark Specter drains more of his energy, which means you're relying on a lost cause," he added with a scornful laugh. Jason just glared. "What? No comeback?" he mocked.

"Just you wait. Your time is coming Magnus," the ex-Ranger spat out. This earned him another kick. Then, Magnus knelt down and used a hand to put pressure on Jason's injured shoulder, making him cry out in pain. Magnus smirked.

"Hurts…doesn't it?" Jason gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to give this guy the satisfaction of seeing him cry out again. "Face it, Jason. Now that you're no longer a Ranger, you're doomed. No one will come for you. You're finished."

"No." Jason tried to wriggle out of Magnus' grasp, to no avail. With his other hand, Magnus pushed Jason against the wall and pinned him there. Then, electricity pulsed from the creature's body and latched onto Jason.

"No!" Jason let out a groan, which turned into an agonized scream. Back on the Astro Megaship, Ashley had convinced TJ to help her in her search.

"Come on, Jase! You've gotta be **somewhere**!" she finally exclaimed, slamming her hands down on the console.

"I think we need a break. Let's get some dinner," TJ suggested.

"You go. I'm not hungry," Ashley responded.

"Ashley, come on. We've been at it for practically all day," TJ reminded her.

"I can't just stop! If the situations were reversed, Jason wouldn't give up on me!" Ashley shouted.

"I'm not saying give up. Just---replenish your energy," TJ responded.

"Teej---" Ashley's voice trailed off as the others walked up.

"Have you been on the computers all day?" Andros asked in surprise.

"Yeah, she has. And she refuses to take a break," TJ answered.

"He wouldn't give up on me, and I **won**'**t** give up on him," Ashley insisted.

"Who are you talking about?" Carlos wondered.

"My cousin---he's out there. Someone or something took him," Ashley said.

"You've spent all day looking for a civilian?" Andros questioned.

"He's not a civilian! He's one of us! At least---he used to be," Ashley shot back.

"Wait. We've got a Ranger missing?" Andros asked.

"An ex-Ranger. Jason Lee Scott," Ashley responded.

"Wait a minute. Wasn't that the guy who was standing next to Tommy when we first became Rangers?" TJ asked.

"Yeah," Ashley nodded. "Andros, I'm really worried. He's been missing ever since Zordon disappeared. And the only thing I found was his communicator." The others shared a concerned look.

"No Ranger would willingly give up their communicator," Zhane stated.

"Exactly." They all stared at each other with worried concern. So, where was he?


	4. Chapter Three: Golden Assistance

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot.

What no one knew was that another Ranger was also looking for Jason. He had sent his best men to scour the planets, but so far, they hadn't been able to find him.

"Jason, where are you?" he wondered of his generals walked up to him.

"Lord Trey, why do you continue to look for this Earthling? I mean, if he was stupid enough to get caught in the crossfire---" Before the sentence could even be finished, Trey of Triforia had slammed the man against a wall.

"Don't you **ever** speak of Jason in that tone again! He was the original Red Ranger and kept my powers safe for me! And I will **not** let him be destroyed by evil," he snapped.

"Yes, Sire," the man said. "I understand." Trey released his general and his fingers through his hair as the other man ran off.

"Oh, Jason. Where could you be?" he wondered. Then, making a decision, he ran back to his palace. Back in his cell, Jason groaned. Magnus had finally stopped his attack and had left. _Man, I cannot move_, he thought to himself. Why had he set Magnus off like that? He knew the consequences. If he wanted to stay alive long enough to get rescued, he'd have to just deal with the guy's garbage. On the Astro Megaship, Ashley was once again, searching the planets for any traces of Jason. She sighed and stared at the screen. Just then, a man in a black and gold outfit appeared in front of her.

"Andros! We have a communication!" she called. Immediately, he and the rest of the Rangers joined her.

"Trey?" Andros questioned.

"Who's Trey?" TJ asked.

"He's the Lord of Triforia," Zhane answered. "Trey, what's going on?" he questioned.

"Rangers, I need your help tracking down one of our own---an Earthling named Jason," Trey responded.

"You know Jason?" Ashley questioned in surprise.

"You must be his cousin, Ashley," Trey noted.

"Yes," Ashley confirmed. "What exactly happened? I went to his house and---"

"I am uncertain, but we **must** find him. Something tells me that time is of the essence." Ashley looked to Andros worriedly. That didn't sound good.

"Trey, why don't you come aboard the Astro Megaship?" Andros invited.

"I'll be right there," Trey said. And within seconds, he was on the ship.

"So, what do you know about this Jason guy?" Zhane wondered.

"That he's a mighty warrior, and wherever he is, he's doing his best to hold on," Trey answered.

"How do you know him?" Carlos questioned.

"He took care of the Golden Powers for me," Trey responded.

"But he's a human. Wouldn't that have---" Andros began to ask.

"He wouldn't have cared," Ashley interrupted. "We have to find him. I can't lose him."

"I won't let you," Trey assured. Ashley sighed and ran her fingers through her hair worriedly.


	5. Chapter Four: From Bad To Worse

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Super Zeo Silver: Thanks. I will.

Monkeerangerfan: Thanks. Here you go.

DISLAIMER

Power Rangers Belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

While all of this was going on, on the Dark Fortress, Astronema was devising away to combat the Rangers.

"Ecliptor," she called.

"Yes, Princess?" he asked.

"Now that the Psychos have been destroyed and much of Dark Specter's energy has been drained, the time to strike is now. Find me a monster. A nasty one," she ordered.

"As you wish, Princess," he agreed. She grinned evilly. Soon the world would be hers. Just then, the screen turned on to reveal Dark Specter. Astronema immediately stood at attention.

"I await your command, Dark Specter," she said respectfully.

"Astronema, I have just gotten word that an ex-Ranger is being held captive on Horath by Lord Magnus," Dark Specter told her.

"What is it that you wish me to do, Dark Specter?" Astronema questioned.

"Convince Lord Magnus to sell the human to me. He is one of Zordon's chosen and I want to destroy the human in front of him," Dark Specter answered.

"As you wish, Dark Specter. It will be done," Astronema agreed. The evil overlord's image disappeared from the screen. "So…one of the first Rangers is trapped on Horath is he? Well, I'll just have to make sure that I have him instead of Dark Specter!"

"What is your command, Princess?"

"Head for Horath. We're getting us a Ranger." Ecliptor did as he was told. On Horath, Jason was in his cell, leaning against the wall. Magnus' words played in Jason's head over and over. Was it true? Was Zordon really close to dying? _No! It's not true. I can't think like that_, he reminded himself. Magnus was just trying to scare him…make him lose hope. He just had to hold on. The Rangers **would** come. Ashley wouldn't leave him. He sighed and laid his head against the wall. _Man, it's just like when Kim and I got kidnapped by Divatox_, he thought to himself. But at least it was just him this time. He closed his eyes. _Jason was studying in the living room when he heard the sound of the front door being kicked open and he immediately jumped into a defensive stance. Strange creatures surrounded him._

_"Man, why is it always me?" he muttered. Then, he blocked an attack and was soon fighting furiously, moving through the house. In the melee, several pieces of furniture was knocked down and demolished. A blast coming from seemingly out of nowhere knocked him on his back. Before he could get his bearings a foot came down on his chest and the ex-Ranger found himself looking into the yellow eyes of a dark red creature. Jason struggled under the weight and started to raise his wrist to speak into his communicator. However, the creature yanked the device off of his wrist and flung it into another room. Then, they disappeared._ Footsteps broke Jason out of his memories and he tensed. _Now who is it?_ he wondered. He got the answer to his silent question when one of Magnus' generals, Travox---a creature with silver skin and dark claws---walked up. With a nod of his head, he made the bars disappear. Jason rose to his feet and shrank against the wall as the monster walked in. Travox grinned. He knew the human feared him. He approached and grabbed Jason by the throat and lifted him up.

"Magnus will kill you if you kill me," he rasped.

"I'm not going to kill you. I'm just going to hurt you," Travox sneered. Jason gasped as he felt the monster's claws pressing against his throat. Then, everything went black.


	6. Chapter Five: Strange Rescue

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot.

As the Dark Fortress headed for Horath; Astronema's eyes darkened. She would find this ex-Ranger and make him her slave. And not even Dark Specter would stop her. After that, she would destroy the current Rangers. The Rangers. Why was she fighting them anyway? A memory started to come up and her implant crackled, causing her to cry out in pain.

"My Princess," Ecliptor said in concern, hurrying towards her.

"I'm fine," she snapped. _What was __**that**__?_ she wondered. She knew why she was fighting the Power Rangers. They were her enemies. They wanted to destroy Dark Specter. Maybe she should just let them destroy each other, and then take over when the battle was finished. Then, everyone would know that it was **she** who was supreme. These thoughts faded as the ship reached the planet.

"Ecliptor, go find this ex-Ranger and bring him to me," Astronema instructed.

"Yes, Princess. As you wish," Ecliptor promised. With that, he walked out of the ship. Back in his cage, Jason was slowly coming to. _Man, what the heck?_ he thought. Something bit into his wrists and he realized he had been shackled to the wall. Feeling something sticky on his chest, he looked down to see his shirt in tatters covered by what appeared to be red liquid. _Oh, great. Travox decided to whip me. Lovely_, he thought to himself. But why he had waited for him to pass out, he had no clue. Wouldn't he have wanted to see if he could make him break? _Oh, well. I'm alive. That's all that matters_, he thought to himself. Just then, he heard approaching footprints. _No. I can't take another fight this soon_, he thought to himself. To his horror, Magnus approached him.

"I have someone who wants to fight you," he announced.

"I can't. It's too soon," Jason responded.

"You don't have a choice, human," Magnus growled, grabbing him and forcefully removing him from the chains. Jason tried to bite back the cry of pain as the metal tore into his wrists, but was unsuccessful as he fell to the ground.

"Get up!" Before the ex-Ranger could do so, he was hauled to his feet. Then, he was dragged out and taken to the arena. Jason took note of his opponent---a lizard-like creature---and got into a fighting stance. The fight had just barely started when a voice rang out.

"Stop everything!" Surprised, the two did so and turned to the person who had interrupted. Jason was further surprised to see that it wasn't a person at all, but a creature that was black and green.

"What is this?" Magnus demanded.

"I am Ecliptor and I have a message from Astronema and Dark Specter," the creature responded. _Dark Specter? As in the thing that took Zordon?_ Jason wondered. What would that freak want with **him**?

"And what is that?" Magnus questioned angrily, but trying to hold his tongue. It wouldn't do to anger a messenger of Dark Specter's.

"He wishes to buy the ex-Ranger you have in your possession," Ecliptor responded.

"Well, I'd hate to lose him. He's been quite the crowd pleaser," Magnus hesitated.

"I assure you, you will be fairly compensated for your loss," Ecliptor promised.

"Never mind payment. As I said, I'd hate to lose the human. But since it's Dark Specter who's doing the asking…he's all yours," Magnus told him. Jason tensed as the creature approached him.

"Come here," he growled, grabbing him. Jason stared at the chip on the side of his head. _What the heck? Is he a cyborg?_ he wondered. They started off, Jason half-walking, half being dragged, when a blast came from out of nowhere.

"What?" Jason and Ecliptor gasped together.

"NO! HE'S MINE!" a voice roared.

"Travox, stop this at once. Dark Specter himself has requested possession of the human," Magnus stated.

"Dark Specter?" Travox asked in surprise. Then, with a growl, "Fine. Let them take him. I'll get him back." With that, Jason was yanked away. They continued until they reached a ship.

"Get in," Ecliptor demanded. Jason did as he was told. Then, he heard a groan of pain. The ex-Ranger turned to see Ecliptor on a knee, holding his head. _Huh?_ he wondered. Then, he saw the chip crackling. _He must've been brainwashed or something. Is he a human?_ he wondered to himself. Then, "Hey! Look out!" Ecliptor turned around just in time to block an attack from Travox. The two creatures started fighting, leaving the ex-Ranger staring. _Uh…who do I help?_ he wondered. On the one hand, he had basically been kidnapped by both of these things, and on the other hand, if he went with Dark Specter's chosen it would hopefully bring him closer to Zordon. Ecliptor's chip crackled again, causing the creature drop to his knees. Travox raised his sword, intending to destroy him. Making a quick decision, Jason jumped through the air and kicked Travox back.

"Hey, come on. Let's get out of here," he said, helping Ecliptor to his feet. _Sheesh, I feel like I'm the Twilight Zone or something_, he thought.

"You're mine, human," Travox snarled, starting for him. Ecliptor's implant crackled again and he gritted his teeth.

"This human is too fine a warrior to be bullied by the likes of you," he snarled. The crackling came again and to their surprise, the chip disintegrated. Ecliptor groaned and Jason quickly led them in, just barely missing being crushed by the door.

"Hey, I can't believe I'm actually asking you this, but are you all right?" Jason questioned.

"I'm better than all right, Ranger. I'm myself again," came the answer. Jason stared in surprise, unsure of how to respond to that.


	7. Chapter Six: A Weird Situation

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Dreamer: Thanks. Here you go.

Sernity1806: Thanks. Okay, Astronema and Ecliptor are evil, but Ecliptor started to show emotions such as kindness and compassion towards Astronema who found out that she was actually named Karone and that the Red Astro Ranger, Andros, was her brother. Ecliptor got ambushed by Darkonda and implanted with a metal chip, and when Karone went back to the Dark Fortress to try to stop a comet, Ecliptor surprised her and did the same to her, once again making her Astronema. Hope that helps.

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot.

"What do you mean you feel like yourself? Were you originally human?" Jason finally asked.

"No, I was built for evil, but I was starting to show emotions like compassion and kindness. And then that traitorous wretch Darkonda ambushed me," Ecliptor answered. "The chip he implanted me with made me do to Astronema what he did to me. Hopefully, I can help her before it's too late."

"Um…okay." Ecliptor chuckled at the confused look on his companion's face.

"You'll see what I mean. But you'll have to play along."

"Right. Sure." _Maybe I have a concussion or I'm having really whacked out dream_, Jason thought. Yeah, those scenarios were entirely possible.

"ECLIPTOR!" a voice shouted. Ecliptor quickly grabbed a pair of chains and tossed them to Jason.

"Put these on---quickly!" he instructed. Against his better judgment, Jason did so. He'd do practically anything to figure out where Zordon was being kept. The last chain had just been wrapped around his wrist when a woman with short red hair stepped into view.

"Dark Specter's lackey I presume?" Jason snidely queried, seeing the same implant that Ecliptor had previously worn.

"You will not take that tone with the Princess," Ecliptor snapped, smacking him on the shoulder.

"I am Astronema and Dark Specter wants you," Astronema responded.

"Sorry, but I don't think he's my type," Jason retorted. There was a strange sound from Ecliptor, and the ex-Ranger realized he was trying to hold back a laugh. Astronema turned to him and the henchmen saved face by hitting Jason again. _Hey, watch it_, Jason thought. Astronema's eyes narrowed.

"My Princess, where should I put him?" Ecliptor questioned.

"Put him in the back," Astronema instructed.

"As you wish, Princess," Ecliptor responded. Astronema watched as he led the ex-Ranger to the back of the ship. Rangers. _Andros walked around the Astro Megaship, talking to her and pointing different things out_. Astronema groaned as the implant sizzled.

"I am Astronema. Princess of evil," she reminded herself. She had never been friendly with the Red Ranger. But then, where had that scene popped up from? It was almost like a memory. Ecliptor came back.

"It is done my Princess," he reported. Astronema stared at him.

"Ecliptor, what happened to your chip?" she asked.

"My Princess?" he asked.

"You had a metal chip on the side of your head and now---" She let out a cry and doubled up as the device sizzled again. Ecliptor steadied her.

"Don't fight whatever's trying to crop up, my Princess. Let yourself remember," he urged.

"Remember what, Ecliptor? That I'm the Princess of evil? I remember that quite well," she snapped, standing back up. He fell silent. Just then, the viewing screen turned on to reveal Dark Specter. Ecliptor quickly moved out of the way so that he couldn't be seen clearly. It wouldn't do for the monarch to realize that anything was amiss.

"Astronema, did you do as I requested?" he queried.

"I did, Dark Specter. Your prize is in my dungeon," Astronema responded.

"Very well. Make sure he doesn't escape. I hear that he's one of Zordon's first chosen, so he'll probably have many tricks up his sleeve," Dark Specter cautioned.

"He will **not** get the best of me," Astronema promised.

"See that he doesn't," Dark Specter snapped and then cut off the transmission. In the dungeon, Jason sat against the wall. _I wonder what's going on out there_, he thought. Things were getting weird. That was for sure. A being created for evil showing human emotions? That was a certainly a new one. Yet, even in the brief time he had seen Ecliptor with Astronema, it was clear that the woman was precious to him. And if she had been brainwashed---which seemed to be the case---maybe he could get her back to normal. He sighed and shook his head. _Yeah, Jase. I'm pretty sure you've got a concussion_, he thought to himself. The assorted monsters and creatures that Magnus had him fight had often hit him in the head. _But still. I should just play along until I can figure out a way to get out of here and find Zordon_, he thought. He sighed and his eyes clouded worriedly.


	8. Chapter Seven: Rescue In Progress

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Monkeerangerfan: Thanks, here you go.

Sernity1806: No prob. Glad I could help.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot.

On the Astro Megaship, Ashley sat in her seat, fingering Jason's communicator. Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

"Still worried?" Trey queried.

"Yeah," Ashley admitted. Just then, the transmission screen came on.

"Lord Trey, we have dire news," a man stated.

"What is it?" Trey questioned.

"We have just received word about an incident on Horath," the man responded.

"What kind of incident?" Ashley asked.

"Dark Specter requested a human that a creature known as Magnus had in his custody. An ex-Ranger," the man reported.

"Jason," Ashley stated worriedly as the other Astro Rangers walked up.

"What's going on?" Carlos questioned and Trey quickly explained.

"We have to save him. We can't leave him for Dark Specter," Ashley worried.

"And we won't," Andros declared. "This guy's one of us and Rangers don't leave Rangers behind," he continued.

"But how do we even begin to search for them?" Zhane wondered. "I mean, it's not like Astronema's just going to let us onto her ship," he continued.

"Someone's going to have to sneak aboard," Andros determined.

"I'll do it," Ashley volunteered.

"No! It's too dangerous!" Andros objected. "I'm the leader, I should go," he continued.

"But he's **my** cousin," Ashley retorted.

"Who was taken by **my** sister," Andros reminded.

"Astronema is your sister?" Trey asked in surprise.

"Yes. Her real name is Karone. She was helping us when she was attacked and brainwashed," Andros responded.

"Look, talking about this isn't going to help us save Jason. Now I'm **going**," Ashley insisted.

"Me too," TJ determined.

"Teej---" Ashley began to object.

"I'm not letting you go in without some backup," TJ insisted.

"He's right. We can't risk you. I'm coming too," Andros stated. She sighed.

"Fine," she agreed. After discovering the current coordinates for the space ship, the Red, Yellow, and Blue Rangers snuck aboard.

"Okay, where do you think he could be?" TJ whispered.

"She probably has a dungeon around here somewhere," Ashley replied in the same tone.

"Come on," Andros said. They continued on their way, ducking into a corner when a Quantron walked past. When it was clear again, they continued on their way. Finally, they reached the back of the ship.

"I'll bet you anything that's it," Ashley whispered, pointing to a door.

"Right. Come on," Andros said, and they headed for the door. In the dungeon, Jason was trying to wiggle out of the chains. He and Ecliptor had discussed taking the chains off, but had ultimately decided that it would be raise too many suspicions. _Aw, man! Come on!_ he thought to himself, twisting his wrists in an effort to loosen his shackles. He couldn't take the chains anymore. It reminded him too much of his early days with Magnus. Just then, he heard a noise and froze. What had that been?

"Over here," he heard a familiar voice say. _No way_, he thought.

"Ashley?" he asked.

"Jason, hold on," he heard his cousin say. He backed up as there was a shot. Sparks flew and the door burst open.

"Blade Blaster?" Jason queried as they came in.

"Astro Blaster," Ashley corrected. "Come on, Astronema probably heard that," she continued, grabbing his wrist.

"Uh, what about---" the question died as Andros telekinetically removed the chains. "Okay, that works," he said. Then, as they headed out, "Listen, uh---this is gonna sound crazy, but one of her henchmen---Ecliptor---helped me. The chip he had like---short circuited---or something."

"That's not really surprising. He's always been strong willed," Andros said. They were halfway through the hallway when a blast cut them off!


	9. Chapter Eight: Back To Normal

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot. I use some lines from "The Secret Of The Locket" and a line from "White Light Pt 2".

The four froze, and got into a defensive stance as the footsteps approached.

"Trying to escape, are you?" Astronema questioned as she and some Quantrons blocked their path.

"Karone, don't do this," Andros pleaded. Ashley and Jason shared a look and she instantly knew what he was thinking: they may have to take her down in order to escape. Astronema pointed her staff at them.

"Quantrons ata---" her order turned into a groan of pain and she doubled up.

_"Where did you get this?" Andros asked._

_"I've __**always**__ had it," Astronema snapped, grabbing the necklace back._

"Karone!" Andros started for his sister, but TJ and Jason held him back.

"What's going on? Why can't I remember?" she wondered as Ecliptor came up beside her and steadied her.

"My Princess, do not fight it," he advised.

"Let me go! The brainwashing's wearing off!" Andros yelled.

"Not yet! Not until we know for sure she's herself again," TJ insisted. Astronema screamed.

"KARONE!" Andros was about to break free when Ashley stood in front of him.

"Andros, no! No!" she cautioned. Astronema groaned and fell to her knees as the images came rushing back. Then, she stood up.

"Karone?" Andros asked hopefully. She whipped her staff around, knocking the Quantrons to the ground.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" she cried.

"I hear that!" TJ agreed and they took off. More Quantrons blocked their path.

"Get down!" Karone warned. Her friends did as they were told and electricity enveloped the henchmen.

"I think it's time for the Galaxy Gliders," Ashley proposed. They called for them and then doubled up: Karone was with Andros, Jason was with Ashley, and Ecliptor was with TJ.

"I can't believe you're letting me ride this thing," he said to the Blue Ranger.

"You were helping Karone before you got brainwashed, and we're not leaving you behind," he responded. Seconds later, they were back on the Astro Megaship.

"Hey, guys, guess who's back?" Andros grinned.

"Karone, you're okay," Cassie grinned and she and the other Rangers hugged their friend.

"What's Ecliptor doing here?" Carlos wondered.

"He also broke through the brainwashing," Andros explained.

"Oh, Jason, I believe **this** belongs to you," Ashley stated, and after reaching into the front pocket of her jacket, handed him his communicator.

"My communicator!" Jason grinned. "Morphinominal!" He attached the device to his wrist and then proceeded to tap into an old frequency. The Astro Rangers, Karone, and Ecliptor listened as Jason was soon talking to some his friends, reassuring them that he was safe and that he was coming home. Ashley smiled when she heard the faint cheers. What they didn't know was that Magnus was talking with Dark Specter and had revealed everything that had transpired.

"So, once again, Astronema has betrayed me," Dark Specter stated. "I will not tolerate this again."

"What is your command, my liege?"

"Destroy her. Destroy them all."


	10. Chapter Nine: Back Home

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Alex B. Goode: Thanks. I will.

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot. Okay, Jason may be a bit ooc, but remember, he had been kidnapped and used a fight slave for a while now, and he's just been rescued. Oh, and for this, Ernie's Gym and Juice Bar and the Surf Spot are two separate establishments in different parts of Angel Grove.

A few minutes later, Jason was pacing around nervously as they headed for Earth.

"Jason, is everything all right?" Trey questioned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Trey. I'm just not sure how to explain letting myself get captured," Jason stated.

"Jason, we may not have worked together as a team, but you held onto my powers for me, and I saw you fight. So I have no doubt that whoever captured you only did so after a very hard battle," Trey responded.

"Yeah, I put up a fight. Really destroyed the house," Jason nodded. Then, they landed and the others walked him out. To his surprise, the rest of the former Rangers were there.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked.

"Hey, you didn't think we'd miss our big brother's home coming, did you?" Kimberly questioned.

"Yeah, man. You had us all worried," Tommy added.

"Detective Stone and the rest of the Angel Grove Police Department looked for you, but after awhile, they had no choice but to drop the case," Tanya's said.

"Plus I could feel something was wrong, but I didn't know where to find you," Rocky stated. "It was really weird," he added.

"I be that was the Tyrannosaurus," Jason stated. Rocky looked at him in surprise. "I'm just guessing here, but since we've shared powers, we're probably connected on some level," he continued. Rocky nodded. That made sense.

"And I even flew out of Africa to search for you," Aisha told him.

"Thanks. That means a lot," Jason said softly.

"Jason, what exactly happened?" Trini questioned. Katherine, Billy, Zack, Tanya, Adam, Aisha, and Justin all added their questions. Jason moved closer to Ashley, unsure of what to say. Tommy was the first to notice the freaked out expression.

"Hey, guys, whoa. Let's just all chill," he told them.

"Sorry," they apologized.

"It's cool. I just---I just want a smoothie, and to get back to normal," was the answer. Then, he along with most of the group, headed out.

"Trey, what happened to him?" Tommy wondered.

"I'm not certain," Trey responded. "But I **do** know that he's going to need all of you," he continued.

"I speak for us all when I say we'll be here," Tommy stated. Then, he and Trey hurried to catch up with their friends. Minutes later, they were all at the youth center.

"Hey, guys, what---" Detective Stone's voice trailed off and his eyes widened in surprise. "Jason!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been?"

"I was kidnapped by some weird creature. The Power Rangers saved me." The detective's brows furrowed in confusion at the clipped tone, but said nothing. Jason and the others ordered several smoothes, and then went to sit at a table. Kimberly looked at Jason worriedly. Was he really okay?

"You know, I just have one question," Jason told them.

"What's that?" Katherine asked.

"How'd you all get here so fast? I mean, what did you guys do, relocate here?" Jason queried. They shook their heads.

"Teleported," Kimberly answered, pointing to her communicator. _What? They used the teleportation system for personal gain?_ Jason thought.

"**This** was an emergency," Tanya added, reading his expression.

"Guys, I'm a civilian now and---" Jason started to say.

"No. You're the first Red. And you mean a lot to us," Adam interrupted.

"What he said," Rocky agreed. Jason just rolled his eyes. Then, he sighed.

"Jason, what is it?" Trini asked.

"I'm worried, guys. What if Magnus comes back for me?" he wondered.

"Then we'll kick his butt like we've done to all the other monsters," his successor declared. Everyone laughed. _Leave it to Rocky_, the original Red Ranger thought. Ashley touched his wrist.

"You'll be okay," she whispered in his ear. Andros, TJ, Zhane, Carlos, Cassie, and Karone watched and hid smiles. Meanwhile, on the Astro Megaship, Ecliptor paced around nervously.

"Is something wrong, Ecliptor?" Deca questioned.

"I am concerned about my Princ---Karone," Ecliptor responded. _You forget. She's no longer the Princess of Evil. She's back to normal now_, he chided himself.

"It must be hard calling her by her actual name," Deca said, as if sensing his thoughts.

"Yes. It is. But she's now where she should be---with her brother. And Dark Specter will never get her again," Ecliptor declared. Meanwhile, Dark Specter had taken over the Dark Fortress.

"What is your command, Dark Specter?" Magnus asked.

"Yes, tell us," Darkonda encouraged.

"I am going to use my armies to get Astronema back. And I'll destroy the Rangers and everyone on the planet if I have to." The monarch's eyes darkened and his minions laughed evilly.


	11. Chapter Ten: Final Count Down Pt 1

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Monkeerangerfan: Thanks. Here you go.

Alex B. Goode: Thanks. I will.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own the plot and original characters.

That night, Jason was back home, lying on his bed, his mind racing with the day's earlier events. After Detective Stone had called his parents to tell them that he was back, they had practically showed up right away and had held him close; as if afraid he'd disappear if they let him go. He had gone with his story that he had been captured by a strange creature and had finally been rescued by the Power Rangers. He sighed and tossed a baseball from hand to hand. He wasn't sure what to do. Magnus was probably thinking up ways to get him back right now. His eyes clouded as he remembered the ring fights, beatings, and torture. If that freak ever got his hands on him again…Jason shuddered and forced the thought away. He was going to be fine. Ashley and the others were on it. They wouldn't let anything happen to him. And then there was the matter of finding Zordon. _I wonder where Dark Specter's holding him_, he thought. How had Zordon even been captured in the first place? And how could his powers be drained? A knock on his door broke the former Ranger from his troubled thoughts.

"Come in," he called. His father, Michael, appeared in the doorway.

"How you holdin' up, Kiddo?" he questioned.

"I'm fine, Dad. I'm just glad I'm finally home," he responded.

"We're glad you're back. I just can't believe it took the Power Rangers this long to do it," the man stated with disapproval.

"Dad, don't---don't blame them. They have a lot on their plate dealing with assorted monsters and I'm sure that as soon as they were aware of the situation, they sprang into action," his son responded. _I'm certain Ashley started looking as soon as she found my communicator_, he thought to himself. "You know, all I really want to do is see if I can get into some classes at AGCC," he told him, changing the subject.

"Jason, are you sure?" his father questioned.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I just want to put everything behind me," he replied.

"All right. We can start looking into it tomorrow," the man promised. Jason flashed a small smile and the man left. Then, the boy sighed and his eyes clouded. What was he going to do? If Magnus came for him again, there'd be no way to stop him. _Relax, Jason. The Rangers have it covered. Everything's going to be fine_, he assured himself. Then, he closed his eyes and drifted off to a fitful sleep. The next morning, he got up, got dressed, ate some breakfast, and then went to the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello? Yeah, my name is Jason Lee Scott and I'm interested in the fall schedule for Angel Grove Community College." He made some attentive noises and wrote something down. He hung up the phone just as his father came into the kitchen.

"What's going on?" the man asked.

"I've got a meeting with admittance at AGCC later today," he explained.

"They were open this early?" his father asked.

"Yeah. They started coming in earlier when more and more students started applying," came the answer. The man looked at his son in confusion.

"I was going there before I got kidnapped," he reminded him.

"Oh, right. Of course," the man said. Then, "What are your plans for the meantime?"

"Thought I'd go to the Youth Center and get a workout in."

"Jason, are you sure that's wise?" Jason sighed. He understood where his father was coming from since he was worried about getting snatched again as well, but they couldn't let their fears stop them.

"I'll be fine." Then, he headed out. At the Youth Center, Jason set up some mats and then began a strenuous kata as a few other people, including a boy about twelve, worked on the weight machines. Suddenly, he heard a scream.

"What the---" With a gasp, he turned around and watched as a swarm of monsters surged into building. "Oh, man," he breathed. Then, he began to herd the others away. However, they were soon blocked off.

"What's going on here?" a guy asked.

"Are we being invaded?" a girl added. _I'm thinking 'yes'_, Jason thought to himself.

"Well, I'm not going down without a fight," the boy stated, coming to stand beside Jason.

"Easy, kid," Jason warned. _Now why does he look familiar?_ he wondered.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine," the boy insisted. The ex-Ranger grabbed the boy's wrist and then stopped when he saw the blue communicator. _Oh, yeah. The kid who replaced Rocky_, he recalled.

"Just play it cool. Our first priority's the civilians," he whispered. The boy nodded.

"Right," he agreed. The creatures surrounded the small group and thundering footsteps were heard. Jason froze. He **knew** those footsteps. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no!_ his mind screamed. The creatures parted ways to let their leader through. Jason watched as a very familiar monster walked through the Youth Center and approached them. It stopped right in front of them.

"Who's that ugly freak?" the boy questioned.

"Magnus," Jason whispered.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Final Count Pt 2

DISCLAIMER

Power Rangers belongs to Haim Saban, Fox Kids, and Disney. I only own characters you don't recognize. There are some lines from "Countdown To Destruction" in this chap, but I'm trying to make it as different as possible.

Without a word, Magnus and his troops took Jason, the kid Ranger, and the other citizens and brought them into the middle of town.

"What's going on?" the boy questioned.

"I don't know. They seem to want us for something," Jason responded. A creature's image appeared in the sky and Jason tensed. _Maligore?_ he wondered.

"Citizens of Earth, I am Dark Specter and you are here because the Power Rangers have stolen one of my warriors! If they return Astronema to me, or you hand over the Rangers, you will be spared," the creature said.

"Yeah, right," the boy muttered and Jason laughed in spite of himself.

"I will give you until tomorrow morning to make your decision," Dark Specter stated. Then, he disappeared. The boy looked at him.

"What are we going to do?" he questioned.

"Don't worry, kid. The Power will protect us," Jason assured.

"The name's Justin," he told him.

"Right. Sorry," Jason apologized. Meanwhile, the Astro Rangers had clustered together.

"What are we going to do?" Cassie wondered.

"I'll go back. Maybe I can stop him," Karone stated.

"No! We've already lost you once. We can't risk you again," Andros objected.

"But---" Karone began.

"He speaks for all of us," TJ told her. The girl fell silent, realizing that she was overruled. Carlos looked at Ashley who had been silent throughout their whole meeting. He took her aside.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know. I've just got a bad feeling about Jason," she answered.

"He'll be okay," he assured.

"I guess," she said.

"Do you want me to go see if I can find him?"

"No. We should all stay together." While this was going on, the citizens of Angel Grove talked amongst themselves for hours.

"Look, we've been over this again and again," a woman stated. "It's clear what that thing wants. I say we find this Astronema person and hand her over."

"We can't do that. The Rangers must have **some** reason for protecting her," Katherine objected.

"Well then, where are they? Why don't they come?" an old man wondered.

"Maybe the Rangers have left us," the woman worried. There was a general murmuring among the crowd. Kimberly started speak up, but somebody surprising beat her to it.

"Now, hold on, everyone!" Bulk exclaimed, standing up. "The Rangers have **never** let us down before and they **won**'**t** let us down now. We have to have faith that they'll be here," he said.

"Bulk's right. The Rangers will come through," Kimberly agreed as he sat down. No one noticed the Astro Rangers listening in. Ashley looked at her teammates.

"They're counting on us," she told them.

"We have to do something," Zhane commented. He had come back to Earth after the rebels had surrendered to a member of Dark Specter's army.

"Yeah, but what?" Karone wondered as Andros started off. Seeing this, Ashley went after him.

"Andros, what are you doing?" she questioned.

"I've got to rescue Zordon," he told her.

"You can't go alone, it's suicide," she insisted.

"I have to try," he stated. "If I don't come back---" Ashley cut off Andros' words with a hand.

"You'll be back," she said. Then, she kissed him.

"Ashley---"

"For luck." He took off, morphing along the way. The next morning, Dark Specter appeared again.

"The Rangers are cowards! They are willing to sacrifice you to save themselves!" he roared. "Give them up and I'll spare you," he added. He was only met with silence. "Fine! Dest---"

"Wait!" Everyone turned to see who had interrupted the evil monarch. "I…am the Blue Ranger," Bulk proclaimed. Everyone stared.

"What?" Jason and Justin chorused.

"I am the Black Ranger!" Skull shouted.

"I---I---I am the Red Ranger," an old man stated, coming by to stand with them.

"You can call me the Pink Ranger, honey," an African-American woman declared, joining them.

"I'm the Silver Ranger," an extremely old man said.

"And **I**'**m** the Yellow Ranger," a woman stated. One-by-one, the town picked up the cry.

"Whoa," Justin whispered. _This is unbelievable_, he thought.

"Morphinominal," Jason murmured. He grunted as something suddenly appeared on his belt buckle. He looked down. _My Morpher. But how?_ he wondered. Then, his lips curved into a smile. _Zordon_, he thought. He had somehow brought back his powers. Unknown to him, his friends had discovered the same thing.

"What in the world?" Katherine wondered, running a hand over her Zeonizers.

"If that's the way you want it, fine! Destroy them all!" Dark Specter shouted. The aliens got ready to charge.

"Not so fast, Dark Specter!" Jason interjected. _I hope Justin and I aren't the only ones who can do this_, he thought. "It's morphin' time!"

"Mastodon!"

"Pterodactyl!"  
"Triceratops!"

"Saber-toothed Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Zeo Ranger 1, Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger 2, Yellow!"

"Zeo Ranger 3, Blue!"

"Zeo Ranger 4, Green!"

"Zeo Ranger 5, Red!"

"Shift into Turbo! Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!"

"Let's Rocket!" As soon as Zack, Kimberly, Billy, Trini, Jason, Aisha, Katherine, Tanya, Rocky, Adam, Tommy, Justin, and the Astro Rangers were morphed, they went on the defensive.

"Come on! Let's get in there! Who's with me?" With a roar, the crowd followed Bulk into battle. On the Dark Fortress, the Red Astro Ranger had finally found Zordon.

"Zordon!" he cried in relief.

"Andros," the sage said.

"Zordon, I'll get you out," he assured.

"Andros, you must destroy my tube," he said.

"No, Zordon! I can't!" the Ranger objected. Back in Angel Grove, Karone was fighting with a school of Piranhatrons. She was so focused on the underlings that she didn't even notice Divatox coming up behind her.

"Die, traitor," she sneered, and then shot lasers out of her eyes.

"Princess, look out!" Before she could react, she had been knocked to the ground.

"ECLIPTOR!" Her bodyguard fell to the ground with a grunt. The Astros formed a circle around him as Karone ran to him.

"Ecliptor, you saved me," she said.

"Of course, my Princess. I could not let you fall," he told her. He let out a ragged breath.

"Ecliptor, stay with me," she begged, her voice breaking. As the Red Mighty Morphin and Blue Turbo Rangers fought, no one noticed Magnus making his way towards them. Then, "Jason!" At the sound the Red Zeo Ranger's voice, the Red Mighty Morphin Ranger turned around and his breath caught. _No_, he thought. Images swam before his eyes: the kidnapping, the fight ring, the torture.

"You're mine, Jason," Magnus sneered.

"I don't think so, Magnus! Power Sword!" he called. The weapon appeared in his hands and the two began to fight. On the Dark Fortress, Zordon was still trying to convince the Red Astro Ranger to destroy his energy tube.

"Zordon, no! There's gotta be another way!" he insisted.

"Well, you could always die." At the sound of the new voice, the Ranger turned around.

"Darkonda!" With a cry of rage, he attacked. The battle was short-lived with Andros dealing the monster his final blow.

"Andros…you must hurry." The Ranger sighed.

"Okay, Zordon." With a cry, he used his Spiral Saber to smash the tube. Immediately, a gold wave covered the galaxy and various villains were destroyed.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Don't let it get me, Zeddy!" Rita screeched and the light covered her, her husband, and their henchmen. When it disappeared, Rita, Zedd, Goldar, and Rito were human. Zedd and Rita stared at each other with love in their eyes.

"Wanna dance?" Zedd flirted. She gave him a smile, and they danced off together. Rito and Goldar stared at each other. Rito had turned into a skinny, lanky young man, and Goldar was now a muscular man in his late twenties.

"Whoa. That was weird," Rito commented.

"Yes. Very much so," Goldar agreed. They stared at each other, unsure of what to do. The Blue Centurion and Phantom Rangers halted their actions as their foes disappeared. Jason had just run his Power Sword through Magnus' body when the villain crumbled into dust. When the gold wave had dissipated completely, the Rangers had de-morphed and each was filled with a sense of sadness.

"Whoa. That was weird," Tommy commented.

"Is everyone all right?" Kimberly asked.

"Yeah, we're good," Katherine responded.

"Zordon's gone. I can feel it," Rocky stated.

"Me too," agreed Tanya. Karone held Ecliptor in her arms.

"Ecliptor, please…don't leave me," she pleaded, starting to cry.

"Oh, Karone. I'm so sorry," Cassie said softly. The former villainess' tears continued and the metal body melted away to reveal a young, muscular man with brown hair.

"My Princess, I'm all right," he said, stroking her face. She gasped.

"Ecliptor," she said happily. They hugged and she helped him up. All of Angel Grove crowded around the Rangers, thanking them and clamoring around them.

"All this time---I can't believe you guys were the Power Rangers," Bulk said.

"Yeah, Bulk…it's true," Jason confirmed.

"It was right under our noses," Skull stated with a shake of his head.

"Hey, you guys were awesome! Totally brave," Kimberly told them, surprising them with a hug, which they returned. After a few minutes, the Astros went to the Megaship and headed for the planet that the rebels had been on. Once there, Zhane, Karone, and the others went to help the colony load their stuff on another ship.

"I guess this is goodbye, huh?" Ashley questioned, holding Andros' hand.

"I never thought I'd have to say goodbye," Andros commented.

"But KO-35's your home, just like Earth is mine," Ashley said. She gave his hand a quick squeeze and then he watched as she headed back for the Megaship, where she was followed shortly by TJ, Carlos, and Cassie. They said nothing, but stared at their Yellow Ranger who just sat at her controls. TJ was about to say something when a voice interrupted him.

"Deca, set a course for Earth." Happily, Ashley jumped from her seat and turned around to see Andros, Zhane, Karone, and Ecliptor.

"My home is with you," he told her. She kissed him passionately. While this was happening, Zhane walked past them to Andros' chair, sat in it, and propped his feet up. Ashley laughed. The others turned around and the others chuckled.

"Deca, set a course for Earth," TJ stated.

"Acknowledged," Deca replied. Zhane just grinned as ship went into hyper-drive. They were all going home.

THE END


End file.
